Dengeki kick off the interview by asking what primary focus that went into the development of Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold was.

“With the previous title, we collected plenty of feedback from players, such as character balance,” says director Fukumoto. “With that as a base, we’ll continue with the parts that made it fun, while adjusting the parts that weren’t too well received. As far as any big changes are concerned, please try it out at the location tests to get a feel it for yourself.”

In our earlier report, we got a look at the two new characters in Yukari and Junpei from Persona 3, who will be joining the mix in Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold. Dengeki asks the developers to share the concept that went into the making of the new fighters.

“Shooting characters that can fight from a distance are essentially quirky [to use,] and there are plenty of them.” says Fukumoto. “I wanted to do away with that, as we’re going for a shooting character that is easy to use this time around. For this reason, those who are using [Yukari] for the first time will have a much easier time.”

“When it comes to Junpei, it’s all comes down to ‘baseball’,” Fukumoto says with a laugh. “The baseball system shaped itself up after we wondered how to implement baseball into a fighting game. By using the bat to attack, you’ll see baseball elements appear on the screen. If you land a hit, you’ll score a point; if you miss, you get a strike. By scoring points, Junpei’s attacks become stronger.”

Most of the combos will be the same as the previous game, aside from a few adjustments made to some moves. Dengeki asks if we’ll get to use the offense-minded Shadow-type characters in a similar manner to their counterparts in Persona 4 Arena.

“Those who play a combo-heavy offensive style, might actually have better movements using Shadow characters,” Fukumoto shares. “However, fundamentally speaking, I believe that normal-mode characters are easier to use. You can fight with stability. Meanwhile, Shadow characters can easily turn the table of the fight.”

“Not having a Burst is the toughest part,” adds assistant producer Iguchiya. Fukumoto then further clarifies, “However, Shadows have impressive firepower.”

According to Fukumoto, Yu Narukami was the most popular character by a landslide during location tests, followed by Persona 4’s Chie Satonaka. Dengeki asks if it’s true that Narukami has changed quite a bit from the previous game.

“That’s correct. We’ve made some adjustments to characters who were on the stronger side in the previous game,” says Fukumoto. “However, Narukami will be getting a new special attack and changes in action, so we could be seeing a more versatile Narukami as compared to before.”

“Having characters be strong isn’t a bad thing, but we can’t have it to a level where other characters can’t fight against them normally, so we’re adjusting such parts accordingly,” Fukumoto elaborates. “To a degree, you can fight the same way you did in the previous game, but I think you might have to make some changes [to your approach] when it comes to fighting against top-ranked players.”

While Narukami will be getting a fair share of adjustments, Dengeki asks which character has been adjusted the most, thus far.

“Ahh, each character has received so many [adjustments], so it’d be hard to say which one has the most,” Fukumoto replies. “It’s already been about two years from the previous title, and I believe that players will get bored of the exact same way of fighting. For this reason, we’d like to offer new ways to play, and the characters are seeing major changes. However, the character concept remains the same from the previous game.”

“Persona 4 Arena is fundamentally adjusted through an upper-balanace, so rather than simply making stronger parts weaker, we adjust the cumbersome strong parts, instead,” Fukumoto concludes.

Finally, a message for the fans.

Fukumoto: “Now that Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold is coming out, I hope that those who missed out on Persona 4 Arena will get to ride the approaching wave. Thank you for your continued support.”

Iguchiya: “With the previous location test included, I’ve come to realize that many others, not just those limited to fighting game fans, have high expectations of us. Until next time, we’ll continue working on adjustments and production, so please look forward to it.”

Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold will be released in arcades this winter.

Really hope Sho is turning out to be a cool character in regards to personality. His design is a little cliché in my eyes.

Sakurazaki

Yeah, badass-looking dude with flaming red hair and a cross scar on his face.

It really screams cliche, imo. All he needs is a nose bandaid.

British_Otaku

Gosho Kaito from Hero Bank is shocked that you got him all figured out: storage.siliconera.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/20130704_001640_thumb.jpg

Even though he flipped it around for a scar on the nose and bandaid on the cheek.

Kelohmello

that ridiculously red hair of his is really, really obnoxious.

Zeik56

But you’re fine with Mitsuru’s impossibly red hair?

Kelohmello

It looks good on Mitsuru. It’s a reasonable shade of red and overall it complements her elegant character design instead of clashing with it.

Zeik56

I’m not saying it necessarily looks bad, but it’s still ridiculous anime red. I just think it’s kind of dumb to give her a pass and then harp on the color of Sho’s hair. But I also don’t agree it clashes with his design.

Kelohmello

I harp on Sho’s hair color because it clashes with the rest of his design. It’s just obnoxious. Mitsuru’s shade of red on the other hand, doesn’t do that. I’ve also seen people with Mitsuru’s hair color IRL and it looks good on them too, so I could hardly call it “ridiculously anime red”.

Arcana Wiz

hey! i know people who has hair with a color very closer with mitsuru’s. And one of them is of my family, and she totally doesn’t look a person with ridiculous anime hair.

Zeik56

Is it her natural hair color? Because I know people who have had green and blue hair too, but not naturally. Her shade of red is bit too red to be natural.

Guest

it’s anime bro. not a television drama

Neppygear

For some reason, Mitsuru’s hair is a much darker shade of red in-game in both P3 and P4A. The reason why is a mystery for the ages.

Sakurazaki

Definitely isn’t natural from real world standards, lol.

P4U came around and now her hair is a good reddish-brown. I’ll never really know what hair was intended, I guess.Nearly everyone else in that game had not-normal hair colors. Goes for Persona 4 too.

And imo, I honestly feel the red clashes a bit for Sho, too. Not that Misturu’s isn’t pretty darn red, but Sho’s is definitely more harder on the eyes for me while Mitsuru’s can blend in a bit with her surroundings just a bit. Basically Sho’s hair comes off to me more like a “(255,0,0) Red” while Mitsuru’s is a nicer blend of red and something else.

DyLaN

Fuuka have green hair, P3 MC have blue hair and Yu have grey hair. And you are complaining abt red hair tht looks more normal?

miju

I still think he looks like Deidara the weapons shop blacksmith.

Raiger

lol totally agree XD maybe he’s the one being thrown into tv this time and get that appearance…returning to his former student-like ^^;

DeadLineDance

I think it’s fair. Now there’s a male equivalent to the Rei Ayanami-color-schemed tsundere robot schoolgirl who just wants to be human and wields a humongous weapon.

Arizato

Thing about Labrys though is that she wasn’t a new character. She appeared before. Also, consider the wonder that they actually built the anti-shadow weapons with different appearances at least from every generation.

MrJechgo

Here’s something worth asking: how will the new auto-combos and special moves be added? I’ve read eariler that all characters will have new auto-combos and special moves.

My heart “skipped a beat” when I scrolled down to: “Finally, a message for the fans.”

Then my heart became normal again when I realized there’s nothing teased about the teaser site.

Arcana Wiz

….I really hope that europe doesn’t get screwed this time…. and i know that this commentary is overused, but it’s no fun when you have to wait many months to receive a fighting game, where waiting time take away a lot of the enjoyment online. So i hope that the region lock is removed this time, and if not at least a close release date to US. If not i sorry Atlus but i maybe will buy it after a price drop.

Natat

And then you nerf horribly the worst character in the game in your latest loketest… WHY ASW!

James Reilly

Not surprised Yu Narukami was the most popular. Only character that can give a run for his money is Makoto Yuki.

And if they do release it on the Wii U and Uropeans will be at the mercy of slow localisation for sure as it isn’t region free…

…

Okay, that was bad. >_>

RichyGaming

-Clap- -Clap- No that was good, I’m IMPRESSED, dood!

Sardorim

Neo Featherwoman Pink – Yukari and Shadow Chie!

This is like paradise!

Vesperion

……So does this mean i can finally select “I’ll face myself battle” in matches now?

Jonathan Tse

i like that the HUD now has a P3 color scheme. hope they announce more characters.

Ouryu

I want P3 MC.

Steven Higgins

Good luck with that. He’s still busy being the Great Seal. Even though it’s fighting game, it still follows the canon.
You may get a Shadow version though, as all the Shadows are phonies anyway.

Ouryu

A shadow version of P3 MC, i can see him as the last/final boss. Elizabeth and shadow Labrys as intermediate boss.

Ramón Navas

You know what I would love? A PC version on Steam

SetzerGabbiani

That name…..

サレム

The only thing I want from this game is for Rise to be playable ;_;

Zeik56

Very unlikely, although perhaps slightly less unlikely with all these shadow forms running around now.

Byron Kerrison II

Shadow Rise’s Super -
Awkward Stripper Dance

하세요

What would she do, scan you the entire battle?

Go2hell66

Please dont nerf mitsuru

Zeik56

Too late. She needs to be nerfed though. I don’t mind her being high tier, but the properties of some of her moves are pretty dumb.

neocatzon

about 2 years.

Natat

Eh, she is more meter dependent on the damage and her super is not air unblockable anymore, but her new auto-combo seems to be pretty good and she got a freaking Reppuken that causes panic. I wouldn’t say that too nerfed lol. She deserves to be nerfed quite a bit though.

ivanchu77

I hope they buff labrys a lot in this game, like the character a lot but she was so freaking bad in the first game

Servant BerserCAR

Still no news about Koromaru? kay ._.

BalmungX

Yeah, i want him playable he would be interesting to see in the game

Cyrus

So, this is an actual sequel? How about they actually release the game in EU at the same as time as the US this time? Or NOT REGION LOCK THE GAME?

Prithivi

I love Junpei’s new style! I think it’s the best redesign of the P3 characters that apperar in P4 Arena. Too bad you could’nt date him in P3P! D=

Steven Higgins

Damn. I was hoping we’d get more insight into Sho. His motivations, his fighting style, anything. But Fukumoto never even mentioned him.

Kamakuma

… I never even got the first one yet. I need to get on that huh? (Mainly since shadow Chie is staring me down in that pic…)

TheExile285

Wait and see how this one turns out first. If it includes the story from the first, you could just wait for this one.

TheExile285

CHIE FTW!!!!

Skeptika Crediblus

Oh Yukari… where did you get that ridiculous outfit…

I hope they release it as an add-on or something for the console version of Arena.

I just d’led FES on my PS3 last night. Back to day 1, square 1. Time to reacquaint myself with the gang.

Aunna Terrell

She’s an actress in the Phoenix Ranger Featherman R show. :3

Skeptika Crediblus

Wouldn’t surprise me. Wait, really?

Aunna Terrell

lol yeah. She did modeling while in college, and because of her skills with the bow, she landed a gig with the Phoenix Ranger Featherman R series.

Neppygear

I’ll consider getting this if the eventual console release isn’t as massively screwed up as vanilla P4A’s was, if only because playing P4G revived my interest in the series.

From the original cast, I had the most interest in trying out Yosuke, Naoto, and Aigis. If I ever end up playing this one, suppose I’ll just stick to that plan.

XypherCode

Make Minato playable and I’ll happily play this. XD

Skeptika Crediblus

If he were playable, you’d have to fight Nyx all over again. Wanna fight Nyx again?

Nice Boat Quatro

Well, then Shadow Minato.

Arcana Wiz

i approve this.

Skeptika Crediblus

Can you have a shadow if you’re dead? He gave up his life force, remember?

Arcana Wiz

but
SPOILERS
His conscience or something like that is trapped with nyx, cause he is the seal. SO it’s possible they write something ro make it possible.
END OF SPOILERS

XypherCode

Oh god… O_O xD

Zangetsu777

So long as they nerfed Elizabeth. I will buy this

Kalis Konig

THey better not hold back on selectable BGM this time! All those awesome pieces from Persona 3 and 4 and the animation yet they were absent in-game. I was really hoping they would have added a few cross over characters just for fun like Raidou and the SMT4 MC but oh well

karldeck

And no word on the Story mode and why the dark hour is back and if P3MC was released and was reincarnated in new body like Teddies.

Video game stories from other sites on the web. These links leave Siliconera.